Asian carp netted in Garfield Park lagoon

An Asian Bighead Carp swims in the Great Lakes Invasive Species tank at the Shedd Aquarium in January 2010.

An Asian Bighead Carp swims in the Great Lakes Invasive Species tank at the Shedd Aquarium in January 2010. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune)

Cynthia DizikesTribune reporter

The search for Asian carp this summer will head to fishing ponds and fish markets in the Chicago area.

The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee made the announcement Thursday at Garfield Park Lagoon in Chicago where fisheries biologists netted two Bighead carp.

It was not the first time the invasive species had been found in the pond. About a year and a half ago, an Asian Carp was brought to a bait shop in Chicago after it was found in the Lagoon, said Chris McCloud, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“There is a possibility that these exist in lagoons from previous stocking from years ago or bait bucket transfers,” McCloud said. “It is a very low risk pathway because most of these ponds have no connection (to the lake), but it is still important that we go out and find if there are Asian carp to prevent any mistaken or purposeful transfers.”

In addition to focusing on ponds, the committee’s $12 million monitoring, sampling and rapid response plan includes surveillance of local fish markets that could be buying or selling the invasive species. Federal and state officials will also increase their carp-catching arsenal to include such tools as hoop nets, mini-fyke nets and underwater video.